FAYETEVILLE, Arkansas (CMC) - Trinidad and Tobago-born Kerron Clement smashed the great Michael Johnson's world indoor 400-metre record when he ran an awesome 44.57 seconds to win the US NCAA Indoor Track and Field title in the event on Saturday night. On an evening when Caribbean athletes Tiandra Ponteen, Fana Ashby and Maurice Smith snatched major titles, the 19-year-old Clement, running for the University of Florida, broke Johnson's mark of 44.63 set on March 4, 1995 at the US Indoor Championships. "This is amazing," Clement said. "I can't describe how I feel right now," said Clement, who switched allegiance a year ago from T&T to the United States, ahead of the World Junior Championship in Italy. Until Saturday night's run, only Johnson himself and LaShawn Merritt had broken the 45-second barrier since the record was set more than a decade ago. Clement ran the race at a terrific pace from the gun and wrested the lead early from Louisiana State University's Kelly Willie. He logged a rapid 200-metre split of 21.08 and powered down the backstretch with no sign of weakening to win ahead of American Terry Gatson (45.29) and Willie (45.41). Trinidad & Tobago's former CARIFTA champion Damion Barry placed seventh in 46.68. Clement also enjoyed 1600-metre relay success with Florida. He joined Jamaican Sekou Clarke, Bernard Middleton, and Stefan Pastor, in powering Florida to victory in three minutes 03.51 seconds, topping Baylor. In one of the most thrilling events of the meet, Ponteen, of St Kitts and Nevis, registered her biggest career win when she edged Grenada's Hazel-Ann Regis to capture the women's 400-metre title in a personal best and national record 50.91 seconds for the University of Florida. Ashby, who got silver in Friday's 200 metres, just 0.01 seconds off the winner, redeemed herself with a fine win in the 60 metres. Ashby sped to a season's best 7.18 seconds to dominate Toyin Olupona (7.24) and Tianna Madison (7.27) and Jamaican Maurice Smith, her teammate at Auburn, won the heptathlon title with 6,004 points. The Caribbean haul at the meet moved to 10 Saturday night, after throwers Candice Scott and Kimberli Barrett had won gold medals Friday, Scott also won shot put bronze. Reprinted from jamaicaobserver.com